Lightning Eclipse
by whispyheart
Summary: She was the first person he had seen since the failure to close the Eclipse Gate. There was no way in hell she would die with him around. (I suck at summaries - lalu- mentions of other ships (nali, gale, jerza, gruvia), cover art doesn't belong to me)
1. Chapter 1

An unearthly, rather heartbroken scream left the heartbroken mage's mouth, hand instantly covering her mouth as an unfit attempt to silence the shriek, but it failed. Instead it rung out loud and clear, giving her away, leaving her vulnerable. But right now, she couldn't care less. All she cared about was the young, broken body in front of her, blue hair a messy tangle as it flowed down over her shoulders and many strands covered her face. A far off shriek of a dragon made her flinch, and she looked at Wendy's body once more, tears unwillingly trailing down her cheeks.

"L-Lucy?" the little girl's eyes flickered open, looking at the older mage amid her tumble of hair in front of her face. Her lips were cracked, most of her body unmoving- had it not been for the arm that reached out to her, visibly bringing the young bluenette pain, yet she didn't stop until she linked Lucy's hand with her own. "I'm sorry.. I couldn't even destroy the thing I'm on earth to do." Wendy whispered despite her throat aching and tongue seemingly useless in her throat. She let out a dry laugh, eyes shutting closed against her will.

"Wendy.. Please don't… please.. Nobody blames you, nobody else could stop them.. Stay with me Wendy, please don't leave me.." Lucy sobbed softly, bringing the child to rest in her lap, stroking her hair, fingers delicately weaving among the tangled, ashen strands, hoping that someone will come. Someone will save her and Wendy. They had to.

Loud crackling of crushed asphalt and pavement brought Lucy's attention to the nearby crest, which had formerly been a beautiful hill dotted with flowers, which now lay in ruins just like the rest of Crocus, alerted her to the presence of someone, though her heart dropped to her stomach once they arrived.

Crocus, the formerly beautiful capital of Fiore now lay in ruin and disrepair, undoubtedly not to be repaired soon. Mercurius and the Domus Flau both now reside in crumbled states, anyone inside undoubtedly killed. The flower capital it was, the dragon capital it is.

Lucy stood, shaking, as she took out her keys.

* * *

As she and Yukino united to close the portal that lead out more dragons than she could count, the celestial spirits were pushed back and thrown away as more dragons followed the seven that originally came out, them being even larger and stronger than all before.

As more filed through, the dragon slayers were overwhelmed, though Natsu had seemed excited at the prospect of a challenge. Lucy could do nothing but watch as hers and Yukino's efforts had failed, and fled together, running for a way out of the capital. Before long, Motherglare had sent a wave of destruction through with a roar heard for miles. The buildings began to collapse and crumble as innocent people's shrieks reached the duo's ears, yet they kept moving, determined to get out of Crocus and escape to Magnolia or anywhere- anywhere safer than here.

After standing their own against Motherglares' minions, they had reached where Crocus had originally ended, but now a dragon had taken up residence atop crumbled buildings, its simple mic of purple and blue scales glittering in what little light shined from the night sky. Both of them crumbled at the sight of the tyrant, Lucy finally giving into the tears that had threaten to overflow since the dragon's arrival and her failure to stop them.

All the spirits fought valiantly to protect their masters, not bothering with their normal remarks due to the situation. The dragon too was relentless as it poured on with attack after attack, but paused as Motherglare let out another roar. It growled, spreading its wings and flying off, leaving the two confused as they watched its destination.

Atlas Flame, a bright firey beast of a dragon crumbled to the floor with a loud _thud,_ the flames slowly diminishing and dying as the host's eyes slipped shut, granting him an eternal rest. Looking closer, Lucy noticed Future Rogue holding Natsu's throat, before a hollow crack sounded and the salmon-haired boy's body hitting the ground next to Atlas Flame, and the blonde lost sight of him.

"Lu….cy..?" Yukino's now familiar voice croaked, holding her hand over her chest as blood began to spread through her clothing and onto her hands, and she collapsed onto her knees, looking at Lucy in confusion. One of Motherglare's so called 'children' stood, mouth closing as the blow was dealt. It didn't see Lucy, and continued towards the sounds of others fighting against dragons. The sounds were slowly fading as more fell to the power of these beasts, but the celestial mages chose to ignore it.

"Yukino... "

"What's happening to me?"

"You'll be okay.. Just.. close your eyes." Lucy stifled a sob, wrapping her arms around Yukino as the mage's eyes slowly closed.

"Good idea… I'm feeling tired anyways.. Thanks, Lucy." Yukino went limp and Lucy's cries rang out as she held the dead body of the mage so similar to herself, wanting this to be over. This couldn't be real. She was dreaming, right? Maybe she'd wake up now, and her guild would be there, and they'd be revelling in the win of The Grand Magic Games. This wasn't real. She ran, back towards where she saw Natsu fall. Maybe he was still alive.. he was Natsu after all.

* * *

And now the mage stood, facing the pack of the laser-shooting beasts that had murdered so many of her comrades, she could tell, by the blood on them and everywhere. She cracked out her whip, knowing her keys wouldn't work, but before either side could move to attack, lightning flashed in front of her eyes and in seconds all of them were dead.

"Blondie."

* * *

aHHAAAH i promise not all of my chapters are short and sucky

if you liked it do w/e if you didnt like it do w/e i really dont care this has just been circling my mind for too long and its death

will continue sometime ! schools almost out for me so i'll have all the time in the world !


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

"Fancy see you here," he let out a soft chuckle, and despite everything, a small smile graced her features, glad to see someone else not covered in a disturbing amount of blood. Wendy now lay motionless, having passed on during the short lived conflict, her eyes wide in terror. Ultimately, she had cardiac arrest which killed her instantly- her lack of magical and physical strength playing a massive part. Lucy strengthened herself, breathing in and out deeply, closing the bluenette's eyes for the last time.

"She was too young to die."

"Laxus.. It's my fault." Lucy whispered, it suddenly hitting her. Had she been stronger, had her bond with her celestial spirits been even the littlest bit stronger, she could've done it- closed the gate. Saved everyone. But she had failed, and now she looked at the result of her failure. The once lively young mage lay in a pool of her own blood, clothes torn and almost ripped off her small body. "I… couldn't close the gate."

The lightning mage struggled with what to say, grunting before turning to her. "It's not your fault," he said slowly, wondering why the hell he was comforting her when they should escape. "Nobody could have done anything better. You tried, and that's what matters. You're a Fairy Tail mage, so I don't think you failed."

Laxus smiled weakly in an attempt to back up his words, before stifling a sigh of relief as she wiped away her tears, looking at him and nodding with a soft _hmph!_

"We need to get out of here.. I've spent too long looking for anyone else."

"Wait- but Laxus- Natsu- and Gajeel- Levy- everyone else! Where are they?"

He visibly winced, eyes shutting closed as he visited his own private hell. "I'm sure they're fine. They've probably escaped." She didn't notice as he avoided saying whether he had seen their bodies. Silence reigned for a while as she looked around, noticing the way the sky was a bloody red, and filled with an almost smoky look.

"How _are_ we going to escape?" Lucy asked finally, looking at the male, finally noticing blood stains on him and his clothing.

"Come here," Laxus mumbled, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer, before using this simple tactic to appear somewhere in the wilderness in Fiore.

Having never transported so far away before, Laxus collapsed to his knees, panting, and Lucy fell with him, her entire body feeling pumped with energy, leaving her feeling amped yet oddly fatigued. Laxus seemed unaffected, looking at her with a small smile.

"Sorry Blondie, normally don't teleport that far," he laughed shortly, before passing out due to magic exhaustion and plain out exhaustion. Soon enough, the effects of his magic wore off on her, leaving her numb and tired once more, her too curling up into a tight ball, having not noticed they were on the outskirts of Magnolia, which seemed relatively untouched.

* * *

"Blondie, wake up," Laxus' voice hissed through her dream, making her grumble and roll onto her side away from him. Her dream had been nice- parading through Crocus with all her guildmates and new acquaintances, everyone happy and getting along. Eclipse gate had been closed, only seven dragons managing to break through, but all were stopped thanks to Natsu and the rest.

She hadn't recognised it was Laxus' voice, so when she finally looked at who it was, she was surprised to see blonde hair instead of salmon-pink. That was when it hit her once more, the pain and numbness of losing him and the rest of her friends. Then the guilt came, and oh god it _hurt._

"Come on Blondie, we don't have time for this bullshit. We either go and see if anyone's still there, or at least get supplies, and be on our way to Hargeon." He continued in a rough tone, offering her a hand up. The blonde male noticed her eyes fill with tears, but she took his hand and stood.

"Look, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to be-" as he tried to apologise, she cut him off, smiling.

"It wasn't what you said, I promise." It had been what he said, but he didn't know how Hargeon had such an impact on her- after all, it had been where she met Natsu and Happy. She wasn't ready, but she had no choice. Lucy had to either deal with it or leave- she didn't want to be a burden.

Setting off as the sky above turned a shade lighter, somehow giving off that it was day, the duo walked to Magnolia, noticing not even the slightest thing different. They continued walking in uneasy silence, finding that this was almost too perfect. But before long, they noticed the issue, right in front of them.

"I smell humans," the deep growl echoed, and Laxus dragged Lucy behind a building, but felt the walls crumble at her touch. "Come out, and maybe I won't eat you." It laughed dryly, the sound rumbling in its throat.

Lucy looked at the male with wide, worried eyes, and he nodded.

"We surrender."

But neither of the pair had said that. Within seconds, the view of Gajeel and Levy's back, beaten and battered met their view, and Laxus covered Lucy's mouth to keep her from making any sound.

* * *

 **im having waaay too much fun with this**

 **also if i portray the characters OOC forgive me! its really hard to get them 100000% in char w/ a lot of the events that just happened**

 **ALSO SORRY FOR REALLY SHORT CHAPTERS! I GENERALLY WRITE THEM BEFORE SCHOOL AND ITS A BIT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE CHAPTERS LONG, BUT ILL TRY HARDER!**

 **review replies:**

 **tiernak - thank you so much!**

 **zombu7 - i gotta admit, this review made me smile an uncontrollable amount. ive always doubt my skill (not asking pity) and so managing to find someone who enjoys the idea/ whatever that's happened so far o: i hope you continue reading and enjoying this story!**


	3. Chapter 3

I swear I didn't mean to disappear for so long.

Laxus blinked, once, twice, as the duo hobbled out into the exposed area between him and Lucy and the dragon, which perched atop Kardia Cathedral's former high point. It let out a low rumble signifying a laugh. "Ah yes," it spoke, mouth unmoving, yet the voice echoing out, "A dragon slayer and a little girl." It flexed its blue topaz wings, subtly hinting at their inability to escape, having revealed themselves. "Why should I spare you?" It growled out as his sharp gaze caught them quivering, a silent plea to live on the tips of their tongues.

But they wouldn't give in nor give the dragon the satisfaction of begging for their lives. The pair glared up at the dragon in silence, refusing to respond.

"I said," it growled, eyes viciously squinting at them, "Why shouldn't I take your lives? Answer me, or die. Your choice." They still continued to remain silent. It glowered dangerously at them in their refusal of its proposal. Gajeel had never been the affectionate type, obviously, but right at that moment his fingers intertwined with Levy's and he stood just a little taller in defiance. "You can take our lives, but you'll never take ou-"

The dragon laughed in the form of a growl once more. "Wrong answer." Topaz blue scales reflected the ample light as it stood, muscles bulging under his skin. Kardia Cathedral fell where he planted his claws, shattering and smashing on the ground, the dust cloud that arose making the two mages who stood ever so closely to it go into coughing fits. Lucy's eyes watered as Laxus kept his hand over her mouth so she wouldn't cough and reveal their position. "You could've lived," it yawned, gleaming yellow teeth with blood stains on them glinting in the light, "Had you promised to be my slaves… You knew this, without a doubt, yet you decided to defy me," it now towered over Gajeel and Levy who stared fearfully at it, "So." It paused, flashing something equivalent to a grin. "Any last words?"

The woman so famously known for being quiet, choosing to stay behind and read her books, whose magic revolved around a pen, yet spoke her mind without fear, spat out, "Fuck you." The malicious gleam in her eye, which Lucy had seen very few times glowered hauntingly, and the lightning mage lifted his hand from where it had laid in front of her mouth to her eyes.

The catastrophic blast that followed blinded any that looked upon the scene, disintegrating the two who had embraced in their final moments, Levy resting her head on Gajeel's chest. The dragon blew the final wisps of the breath he had used to destroy the pair, before settling back down on the crumbled ruins of the formerly glorious cathedral. "Humans." It tutted, resigning to a curled up position, tail curled around its rather large body, looking somewhat like a cat.

Lucy luckily hadn't seen the whole scene, but she heard enough and from what smoke drifted from the new crater in the ground she knew. Her heart broke and shattered in a million different ways, feeling as if it had stopped and she was unable to breathe. "She-"

"Look, Lucy, I know this isn't the time, but we really need to go," he mumbled into her ear, trying to keep his voice down as to avoid being discovered by the dragons heightened sense of sound. He placed a hand on her shoulder as he went to teleport them, and felt how she was stiff and in an instant could smell the salty scent of tears. "Blondie, please." He turned her to face him. "Lucy, please. Levy would want you to get out of here, alive." Her body shook at the mention of her now deceased best friend's name, and she collapsed into his arms as she attempted feebly not to cry loudly. Her sobs were muffled into his shoulder as he tried desperately to comfort her.

He, like Gajeel, had never been the affection type. Sometimes Evergreen would cry to him about some new dating failure or how her materialistic 'friends' (who only stuck around for her male team members and her riches) had left her once again, and even then he didn't know what to do. Laxus was always distant, preferring to keep space emotionally and physically from all, until Tenrou had reminded him what was important. Even then, after having time to reconcile with the various members, he never grew too close to anyone apart from his own team. The blond had never shared many intimate moments with females either, never allowing himself to get close to anyone.

But here Lucy was now, crying her heart out into his shoulder and suddenly he realised he didn't have to do anything in particular, just be there. Just let her know someone cared.

Slowly her wailing went to sniffles, and her sniffles to silence as he rubbed soothing circles on her back with a balled up fist, sighing softly into her hair, disheveled and ashen, the ends frizzy and messy. "I'm sorry," she choked out, looking at him with bloodshot brown eyes, voice cracking as she spoke. "I'm sorry I'm such a burden."

Laxus paused, knowing he'd have to choose his words carefully, any of them could set her off into another crying session or a fit of anger so great she'd scream until every dragon that plagued Fiore had come to her screech and blasted them to nothing but particles that would drift afloat in the wind. "You're not," he said slowly, obviously being cautious. "You're not a burden. Nobody would think so." The lightning mage took a deep breath.

"I know so. Lucy, whether or not you believe me, you've never been a burden. Ever. You've stood by your friends through thick and thin- and your spirits. You have a bond with them that nobody has ever seen before and you'd be willing to sacrifice your own life for them." He said finally, feeling rather proud of himself for the nice words he'd managed to say.

"I guess that's my downfall," she muttered, pulling herself away from him, noticing the wet patch she'd left on his shoulder. "I care too much." Lucy sounded so dull, so defeated, Laxus felt a pang of guilt and sadness that he couldn't do anything to alleviate the blonde's depression. He was useless. A burden, just like she thought she was.

"Blondie, if you're a burden, then so am I." She opened her mouth to respond, maybe to argue against him, but he cut her off before she could even begin. "You did all that you could and yet you're convinced you're worthless. I can't do anything to help you, and my concern is well, a burden to you, because you refuse to believe the truth.

Trust me, I've been where you are. I've wanted nothing more than just to throw myself off the deep end, but you're not allowed to do that. Not here. Not now. Not like this. Lucy, please." The male pleaded, and saw her dull gaze get back somewhat of a spark, though it was flickering and dying quickly. "Let's get out of here. Please."

Lucy wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands, smearing ash all over her face, yet she didn't seem to care. She let him pull her closer, transporting them out of Magnolia with a loud crackle in the sky, alerting any dragon in the area where they had formerly been.

Arriving in some small village, with very small houses and a general store of sorts, they slowly tiptoed in, seeing no sign of any struggles or even signs anyone had been here in years. Lucy sighed, walking into one of the small cottages that lined the main road, and Laxus went to explore the area to make sure it was really safe. He didn't get far before he could smell the acrid smell of blood.

3 sorry for disappearing for so long aaah! I hope you enjoy this chapter- i'll try to update soonish (no promises)


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